Cuff for blood pressure information measurement device and blood pressure information measurement device provided with the same

ABSTRACT

A cuff includes a cuff main body portion and a gripping portion provided on an outer peripheral surface of the cuff main body portion. The cuff main body portion includes an air bladder, a tightening belt wrapped around an outer side of the air bladder, and a wrapping length adjustment mechanism for variably adjusting a wrapping length of the tightening belt. The wrapping length adjustment mechanism has a bias spring for pulling and biasing the tightening belt in a direction in which the wrapping length of the tightening belt is shortened, a first restriction portion for restricting extension of the wrapping length, and a second restriction portion for restricting shortening of the wrapping length. The gripping portion includes a push button for switching actions of the two restriction portions. In this configuration, the cuff may be easily attached to a measurement site regardless of the circumferential length of the site.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a blood pressure informationmeasurement device capable of measuring blood pressure information suchas blood pressure values, and a cuff for a blood pressure informationmeasurement device provided in the same.

BACKGROUND ART

It is highly important to acquire blood pressure information of asubject for knowing a health condition of the subject. In recent years,there have been attempts to capture changes in a cardiac load andhardness of an artery not only by acquiring a systolic blood pressurevalue (a maximal blood pressure value), a diastolic blood pressure value(a minimal blood pressure value), and the like, which are conventionallywidely recognized as useful representative indicators for healthmanagement, but also by acquiring a pulse wave of the subject. A bloodpressure information measurement device is a device for obtaining theseindicators for health management based on the acquired blood pressureinformation, and such a device is expected to be further utilized infields of early detection, prevention, and treatment of circulatorydiseases, and the like. It should be noted that the blood pressureinformation widely includes various information relating to acirculatory system such as the systolic blood pressure value, thediastolic blood pressure value, an average blood pressure value, thepulse wave, pulsation, and an AI (Augmentation Index) value.

In general, a cuff accommodating a fluid bag is utilized for measurementof the blood pressure information. The cuff is a band-shaped structurehaving an inner cavity that is capable of being wound around part of aliving body, the cuff being utilized for the measurement of the bloodpressure information by infusing a fluid such as gas and a liquid intothe inner cavity so as to expand and contract the fluid bag. Forexample, in the blood pressure information measurement device(hereinafter, also simply referred to as a sphygmomanometer) formeasuring the blood pressure values such as the systolic blood pressurevalue and the diastolic blood pressure value, the cuff accommodating thefluid bag for compressing the artery is wound around a body surface ofthe living body, and the wound fluid bag is expanded and contracted, sothat an arterial blood pressure pulse wave is captured as a change ininner pressure of the fluid bag. Thus, the blood pressure values aremeasured. It should be noted that a cuff particularly wound around anarm and used in this way is also called an arm band or a manchette.

In the cuff, there is a need for reliably winding a cuff main bodyportion to be attached to a measurement site around the living body soas to reliably fix the fluid bag to the measurement site of the livingbody. However, in a general cuff, because a winding task is left to thehands of the subject, reliable winding is not always reproduced. In acase where the reliable winding is not reproduced, measurement valuesare varied, making it difficult to precisely and stably measure theblood pressure information.

Thus, variously formed cuffs have been conventionally proposed forreliably winding the cuff around the measurement site with favorablereproducibility. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.S61-238229 (Patent Document 1), Japanese Unexamined Patent PublicationNo. 2002-209858 (Patent Document 2), and the like disclose a cuffaccommodating a curved elastic plate called a curler inside in additionto an air bladder serving as the fluid bag. The curler is accommodatedinside the cuff for maintaining an annular form of the cuff. The curleris annularly wrapped around an outer side of the air bladder andarranged inside the cuff, so that the cuff is formed to be elasticallydeformable in a radial direction. In the cuff provided with such acurler, the air bladder is fixed while being pushed toward themeasurement site by the curler with proper pressing force afterattachment. Thus, reliable fixation of the air bladder to themeasurement site is reproduced.

However, in the cuff accommodating the above curler, the curler isshaped so that the curler at the time of non-attachment has a morereduced diameter than the measurement site in order to reliably pressthe air bladder onto the measurement site at the time of attaching thecuff. As such, the curler in a reduced diameter state is required to beonce pushed and extended before attachment to the measurement site.

In order to further easily attach the cuff accommodating the abovecurler, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-68318 (PatentDocument 3) discloses a configuration of a cuff attachable to anddetachable from the measurement site with a single touch operation. Inthe cuff disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.2006-68318, an elastic member such as a bias spring and a powertransmission mechanism such as a slider are built inside the cuff, sothat the cuff is attached to the measurement site with favorablereproducibility by a bias force of the bias spring with an optimaltightening force, and the size of the cuff including the curler in theradial direction is variable in conjunction with the operation of auser. Thereby, the cuff can be attached and detached with the singletouch operation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-75294 (Patent Document4) and International Publication WO 03/101290 (Patent Document 5)disclose a cuff in which a winding device including a bias spring and awinding roller is built inside the cuff, and one end of a band-shapedbelt member to which an air bladder is attached is wound by the windingdevice, so that the cuff is attached to the measurement site withfavorable reproducibility by a bias force of the bias spring withoptimal tightening force.

Patent Document 1: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. S61-238229

Patent Document 2: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.2002-209858

Patent Document 3: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2006-68318

Patent Document 4: Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2007-75294

Patent Document 5: International Publication WO 03/101290

However, in the cuff disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent PublicationNo. 2007-75294 and International Publication WO 03/101290, the cuff inthe non-attachment state has a non-annular form. Thus, there is a needfor fixing the cuff to the measurement site in a state that the cuff isannularly wrapped around the measurement site, so that engagementportions for engagement are provided in one end and another end of theband-shaped belt member. In a case of the cuff with such aconfiguration, there is a need for engaging the engagement portionswhile maintaining a state that the band-shaped belt member is placed onthe measurement site during attachment. Thus, because it is difficult toperform the operation with a single hand, the operation is forced to beperformed with both hands. Therefore, in a case where the cuff with theabove configuration is adopted in a sphygmomanometer for a domestic usewhich requires the subject winding the cuff around one of his/her armsby himself/herself, there is a problem that the attachment of the cuffis not easily performed by himself/herself in the first place.

Meanwhile, in the cuff disclosed in Japanese Unexamined PatentPublication No. 2006-68318, the cuff has an annular form in thenon-attachment state. Thus, by inserting the measurement site into ahollow opening portion thereof, the cuff can be attached and detachedwith a single touch operation of a single hand. However, for convenienceof the configuration of the device, the size of the cuff including thecurler in the radial direction cannot be varied without restriction, sothere is a problem that applicable circumferential length of themeasurement site is restricted.

Therefore, one or more embodiments of the present invention provides acuff for a blood pressure information measurement device capable ofbeing easily attached to a measurement site of a living body in whichapplicable circumferential length of the measurement site is notrestricted, and a blood pressure information measurement device providedwith the same.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One or more embodiments of the present invention provides a cuff for ablood pressure information measurement device attached to a measurementsite of a living body and used for measurement of blood pressureinformation, including a cuff main body portion, a gripping portion, anda switching portion. The cuff main body portion is formed into anannular form into which the measurement site is insertable from an axialdirection and attached to the measurement site at the time ofmeasurement. The gripping portion is provided on an outer peripheralsurface of the cuff main body portion. The cuff main body portionincludes a fluid bag for compressing the living body, a tightening beltwrapped around an outer side of the fluid bag, and a wrapping lengthadjustment mechanism for variably adjusting a wrapping length of thetightening belt. The wrapping length adjustment mechanism has a biasportion for pulling and biasing the tightening belt in a direction inwhich the wrapping length of the tightening belt is shortened, a firstrestriction portion for restricting extension of the wrapping length ofthe tightening belt, and a second restriction portion for restrictingshortening of the wrapping length of the tightening belt. The switchingportion selectively switches whether the wrapping length adjustmentmechanism is in a first state where restriction by the secondrestriction portion is released, restriction by the first restrictionportion is applied, and thereby, the wrapping length of the tighteningbelt is variably adjusted only in the direction in which the tighteningbelt is pulled by the bias portion and the wrapping length thereof isshortened, or in a second state where the restriction by the firstrestriction portion is released, the restriction by the secondrestriction portion is applied, and thereby, the wrapping length of thetightening belt is variably adjustable only in the direction in whichthe wrapping length of the tightening belt is extended. The switchingportion is provided in the gripping portion or the cuff main bodyportion in the vicinity of the gripping portion.

In the cuff for a blood pressure information measurement deviceaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention, theswitching portion is preferably formed by a push button. In this case,preferably, the wrapping length adjustment mechanism is in the secondstate in conjunction with a press-down state of the push button, and inthe first state in conjunction with release of the press-down state ofthe push button.

In the cuff for a blood pressure information measurement deviceaccording to one or more embodiments of the present invention, thewrapping length adjustment mechanism preferably includes a windingroller capable of winding and feeding the tightening belt. In such acase, the bias portion is preferably formed by a spring attached to thewinding roller. In such a case, each of the first restriction portionand the second restriction portion is preferably formed by a one-wayclutch additionally provided in the winding roller.

The cuff for a blood pressure information measurement device accordingto one or more embodiments of the present invention further includes aflexible curved elastic plate elastically deformable in a radialdirection of the cuff main body portion on the outer side of the fluidbag and on the inner side of the tightening belt.

A blood pressure information measurement device according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention includes a cuff for a bloodpressure information measurement device according to one or moreembodiments of the present invention, expanding/contracting mechanismsfor expanding and contracting a fluid bag, and a blood pressureinformation acquiring unit for acquiring blood pressure information.

One or more embodiments of the present invention provides a cuff for ablood pressure information measurement device capable of being easilyattached to a measurement site of a living body in which an applicablecircumferential length of the measurement site is not restricted, and ablood pressure information measurement device provided with the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance structure of asphygmomanometer in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional block configuration diagram of thesphygmomanometer in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of measurement processing of bloodpressure values of the sphygmomanometer in an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a state that a cuff main bodyportion of a sphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the presentinvention has a reduced diameter.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the state that the cuff main bodyportion of the sphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the presentinvention has the reduced diameter.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state that the cuff main bodyportion of the sphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the presentinvention has an extended diameter.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing the state that the cuff main bodyportion of the sphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the presentinvention has the extended diameter.

FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective view showing a state that a wrappinglength adjustment mechanism of the sphygmomanometer cuff in anembodiment of the present invention performs a diameter reducing action.

FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view in a case where the wrappinglength adjustment mechanism of the sphygmomanometer cuff in anembodiment of the present invention is in a diameter-extendable state.

FIG. 10 is a view for illustrating attachment procedures of thesphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view showing a state that thesphygmomanometer cuff in an embodiment of the present invention isattached to an upper arm.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described indetail with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that in theembodiments hereinafter, a sphygmomanometer cuff adapted to be woundaround an upper arm and used, and a sphygmomanometer provided with thesame will be shown as an example and described as a cuff for a bloodpressure information measurement device, and a blood pressureinformation measurement device provided with the same.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outer appearance structure of asphygmomanometer in an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2is a functional block configuration diagram of the sphygmomanometershown in FIG. 1. Firstly, the outer appearance structure and theconfiguration of the sphygmomanometer in the present embodiment will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a sphygmomanometer 1 in the present embodiment isprovided with a main body 10, a cuff 20, and an air tube 90. The mainbody 10 has a box shape casing, and is provided with a display unit 14and an operation unit 16 on an upper surface thereof. The main body 10is mounted on a mount surface such as a table and used at the time ofmeasurement. The cuff 20 has a tubular cuff main body portion 30including a hollow opening portion into which the upper arm isinsertable from the axial direction, and a gripping portion 40 providedon an outer peripheral surface of the cuff main body portion 30. Thecuff 20 is attached to the upper arm and used at the time of themeasurement. The air tube 90 connects the main body 10 and the cuff 20which are separated from each other.

As shown in FIG. 2, the main body 10 has a control unit 11, a memoryunit 12, a power supply unit 18, a pressurization pump 71, an exhaustvalve 72, a pressure sensor 73, a pressurization pump drive circuit 74,an exhaust valve drive circuit 75, and an oscillation circuit 76 inaddition to the above display unit 14 and the operation unit 16.Meanwhile, the cuff 20 mainly has an air bladder 35 serving as a fluidbag. The pressurization pump 71, the exhaust valve 72, and the pressuresensor 73 correspond to air system components 70 provided in thesphygmomanometer, and particularly, the pressurization pump 71 and theexhaust valve 72 correspond to expanding/contracting mechanisms forexpanding and contracting the air bladder 35.

The air bladder 35 is the fluid bag for compressing the upper arm in anattachment state, and has expansion/contraction space serving as aninner cavity inside thereof. The air bladder 35 is respectivelyconnected to the pressurization pump 71, the exhaust valve 72, and thepressure sensor 73, serving as the above air system components 70 viathe above air tube 90.

The control unit 11 is formed by, for example, a CPU (Central ProcessingUnit), serving as a part for controlling the entire sphygmomanometer 1.The memory unit 12 is formed by, for example, a ROM (Read-Only Memory)and a RAM (Random-Access Memory), serving as a part for storing aprogram to have the control unit 11 and the like execute processingprocedures for the measurement of blood pressure values, and storingmeasurement results and the like. The display unit 14 is formed by, forexample, a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), serving as a part fordisplaying the measurement results and the like. The operation unit 16serves as a part for receiving operation by a subject or the like andinputting this command from the outside to the control unit 11 and thepower supply unit 18. The power supply unit 18 serves as a part forsupplying electric power as a power supply to the control unit 11.

The control unit 11 respectively inputs control signals for driving thepressurization pump 71 and the exhaust valve 72 to the pressurizationpump drive circuit 74 and the exhaust valve drive circuit 75, and inputsthe blood pressure values as the measurement results to the memory unit12 and the display unit 14. The control unit 11 includes a bloodpressure information acquiring unit (not shown) for acquiring the bloodpressure values of the subject based on pressure values detected by thepressure sensor 73. The blood pressure values acquired by the bloodpressure information measuring unit are inputted to the above memoryunit 12 and the display unit 14 as the measurement results. It should benoted that the sphygmomanometer 1 may separately have an output unit foroutputting the blood pressure values as the measurement results toexternal devices (such as a PC (Personal Computer) and a printer). Forexample, a serial communication line, a write device to variousrecording media, and the like can be utilized as the output unit.

The pressurization pump drive circuit 74 controls an action of thepressurization pump 71 based on the control signal inputted from thecontrol unit 11. The exhaust valve drive circuit 75 controls anopening/closing action of the exhaust valve 72 based on the controlsignal inputted from the control unit 11. The pressurization pump 71pressurizes the internal pressure of the air bladder 35 (hereinafter,also referred to as the “cuff pressure”) by supplying the air into theinner cavity of the air bladder 35, and the action thereof is controlledby the above pressurization pump drive circuit 74. The exhaust valve 72maintains the internal pressure of the air bladder 35 and reduces thecuff pressure by opening the inner cavity of the air bladder 35 to theoutside, and the action thereof is controlled by the above exhaust valvedrive circuit 75. The pressure sensor 73 inputs an output signal inaccordance with the internal pressure of the air bladder 35 to theoscillation circuit 76. The oscillation circuit 76 generates a signal ofan oscillating frequency in accordance with the signal inputted from thepressure sensor 73 and inputs the generated signal to the control unit11.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a flow of measurement processing of theblood pressure values of the sphygmomanometer in the present embodiment.Next, the flow of the measurement processing of the blood pressurevalues of the sphygmomanometer in the present embodiment will bedescribed with reference to FIG. 3. It should be noted that a programfollowing the flowchart is preliminarily stored in the memory unit 12,and the control unit 11 reads out the program from the memory unit 12and executes the program, so that processing thereof is executed.

When measuring the blood pressure values, the subject preliminarilyattaches the cuff 20 to the upper arm, and operates the operation unit16 provided in the main body 10 in this state so as to turn on the powersupply of the sphygmomanometer 1. Thereby, the electric power as thepower supply is supplied from the power supply unit 18 to the controlunit 11, so that the control unit 11 is driven. As shown in FIG. 3, thecontrol unit 11 firstly initializes the sphygmomanometer 1 after drivingthereof (step S101).

Next, the control unit 11 waits for an instruction of measurement startof the subject. In a case where the subject operates the operation unit16 so as to give the instruction of the measurement start, the controlunit 11 closes the exhaust valve 72 and starts driving thepressurization pump 71 so as to gradually increase the cuff pressure ofthe air bladder 35 (step S102). In a process of gradually pressurizingthe air bladder 35, when the cuff pressure reaches a predetermined levelfor the measurement of the blood pressure values, the control unit 11stops the pressurization pump 71 and then gradually opens the closedexhaust valve 72 so as to gradually exhaust the air in the air bladder35 and gradually reduce the cuff pressure (step S103). In thesphygmomanometer 1 in the present embodiment, the blood pressure valuesare measured in the slow depressurization process of the cuff pressure.

Next, the control unit 11 calculates the blood pressure values such as asystolic blood pressure value and a diastolic blood pressure value by aknown procedure (step S104). Specifically, the control unit 11 extractspulse wave information based on the oscillating frequency obtained fromthe oscillation circuit 76 in the process of gradually reducing the cuffpressure of the air bladder 35. Then, the control unit 11 calculates theblood pressure values based on the extracted pulse wave information.When the blood pressure values are calculated in step S104, the controlunit 11 displays the blood pressure values as the measurement results onthe display unit 14 (step S105) and stores the blood pressure values inthe memory unit 12.

After that, the control unit 11 opens the air bladder 35 so as tocompletely exhaust the air in the air bladder 35 (step S106), waits foran instruction of power-off of the subject, and then finishes the actionthereof. It should be noted that the measurement method described aboveis based on a so-called depressurization measurement method of detectingthe pulse wave at the time of depressurization of the air bladder 35.However, a so-called pressurization measurement method of detecting thepulse wave at the time of pressurization of the air bladder 35 can beadopted as a matter of course.

FIGS. 4 to 7 are views showing detailed structures of thesphygmomanometer cuff in the embodiment of the present invention. FIGS.4 and 5 are a perspective view and a sectional view showing a state thatthe cuff main body portion has a reduced diameter. FIGS. 6 and 7 are aperspective view and a sectional view showing a state that the cuff mainbody portion has an extended diameter. FIGS. 8 and 9 are views forillustrating a configuration of a wrapping length adjustment mechanismprovided in the sphygmomanometer cuff in the embodiment of the presentinvention, and an action thereof. FIG. 8 is a schematic perspective viewshowing a state that the wrapping length adjustment mechanism performs adiameter reducing action. FIG. 9 is a schematic perspective view in acase where the wrapping length adjustment mechanism is in adiameter-extendable state. Next, a configuration and actions of thesphygmomanometer cuff in the present embodiment will be described indetail with reference to FIGS. 4 to 9.

As shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, the cuff 20 in the present embodiment has thetubular cuff main body portion 30 to be attached to the upper arm, andthe gripping portion 40 provided on the outer peripheral surface of thecuff main body portion 30. The gripping portion 40 includes a baseportion 41 serving as a part to be attached to the cuff main bodyportion 30, and a grip 42 serving as a part to be held by a hand duringattachment. The cuff main body portion 30 is formed into a tubular shapeinto which the upper arm is insertable from the axial direction. Thegripping portion 40 is fixed to the cuff main body portion 30 so thatthe grip 42 extends in the parallel direction to the axial direction ofthe tubular cuff main body portion 30. A wrapping length adjustmentmechanism 50 is arranged at a position on the outer peripheral surfaceof the cuff main body portion 30 inside the base portion 41 of thegripping portion 40. An insertion port 41 a into which a tightening belt31 described later is inserted is provided at a predetermined positionon a side surface of the base portion 41. A push button 44 serving as aswitching portion described later is provided at a predeterminedposition on an outer surface of the gripping portion 40.

The cuff main body portion 30 is mainly provided with the tighteningbelt 31 annularly wrapped around, an outer package cover 33, a curler 34serving as a curved elastic plate, and the air bladder 35. The outerpackage cover 33 is attached at a predetermined position on an innerperipheral surface of the tightening belt 31. The curler 34 and the airbladder 35 are accommodated in the outer package cover 33. It should benoted that the above gripping portion 40 is attached at a predeterminedposition on an outer peripheral surface of the outer package cover 33.

The tightening belt 31 is formed by a band-shaped member made of a clothor the like substantially having no stretchability in thecircumferential direction, and has one end 31 a and the other end 31 bin the circumferential direction. A part of the tightening belt 31 closeto the other end 31 b overlies the outer peripheral side of a part ofthe tightening belt 31 close to the one end 31 a. Further, the other end31 b of the tightening belt 31 is accommodated in the base portion 41 ofthe gripping portion 40 via the insertion port 41 a provided in theabove gripping portion 40, and fixed to a winding roller 52 arranged inthe base portion 41 (see FIGS. 8 and 9). Thereby, the cuff main bodyportion 30 is formed into an annular form having the hollow openingportion into which the upper arm is insertable from the axial directionthereof.

Circumferential length of the tightening belt 31 is variably adjusted bythe wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 provided in the abovegripping portion 40. In a state that the circumferential length of thetightening belt 31 is shortened as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the cuff mainbody portion 30 is in a reduced diameter state (a state that a diameteris reduced). In a state that the circumferential length of thetightening belt 31 is extended as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the cuff mainbody portion 30 is in an extended diameter state (a state that thediameter is extended).

The outer package cover 33 is formed, for example, by a member such as acloth made of a low friction member having stretchability, and attachedonto the inner peripheral surface of the above tightening belt 31. Morespecifically, the outer peripheral surface of the outer package cover 33is joined to the inner peripheral surface of the tightening belt 31 byadhesion, welding or the like, so that the outer package cover 33 isfixed to the tightening belt 31.

The curler 34 accommodated in the outer package cover 33 is made of aflexible member formed by injection molding a resin material such aspolypropylene as a base material. More specifically, the curler 34 isformed by an annular curved elastic plate having a cut 34 a along theaxial direction at a predetermined position in the circumferentialdirection, and formed in a C shape or a U shape when the curler is cutalong a plane orthogonal to the axial direction. The curler 34 maintainsits own annular form and is formed to be elastically deformable in theradial direction. Therefore, the curler 34 has a largely extendeddiameter in the above extended diameter state, and on the other hand,has a narrowed diameter in the above reduced diameter state. It shouldbe noted that in a case where the cuff main body portion 30 is in theextended diameter state, the cuff main body portion 30 is largelyextended by an elastic force of the curler 34. Thus, the upper arm iseasily put in and drawn out the inside of the hollow opening portion ofthe cuff main body portion 30.

The air bladder 35 is a bag shape member capable of being expanded andcontracted and is formed, for example, by overlapping two resin filmsand welding peripheral edges thereof. The inner cavity of the airbladder 35 is connected to the air tube 90 via a nipple (not shown). Theinner cavity of the air bladder 35 is pressurized and depressurized bythe pressurization pump 71 and the exhaust valve 72 provided in the mainbody 10 at the time of the measurement, and thereby, the air bladder 35is expanded or contracted.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50is mainly provided with a shaft 51, the winding roller 52, a firststopper 56, a slider 60, and a second stopper 65. The wrapping lengthadjustment mechanism 50 including these constituent elements is arrangedon an outer peripheral surface of the curler 34 of the cuff main bodyportion 30 and in the base portion 41 of the gripping portion 40 asdescribed above. The wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 variablyadjusts a wrapping length of the above tightening belt 31.

The shaft 51 is axially and rotatably supported on an axial supportportion (not shown) and arranged so that the axial direction thereofmatches with the axial direction of the cuff main body portion 30. Abias spring 53 serving as a bias portion is fitted onto the shaft 51.The bias spring 53 is formed by a coil spring, one end thereof is fixedto the base portion 41 of the gripping portion 40, and the other endthereof is fixed to the shaft 51. Further, the winding roller 52 isfurther fitted and fixed onto the shaft 51 onto which the bias spring 53is fitted. The winding roller 52 is formed by a tubular member, and theother end 31 b of the above tightening belt 31 (see FIGS. 5 and 7) isfixed at a predetermined position thereof.

First clutch plates 54A, 54B are arranged on the outer side in both endsof the winding roller 52 in the axial direction. The first clutch plates54A, 54B are both fixed to the shaft 51. The first clutch plates 54A,54B are formed by disc shape members, and wedge shape teeth arecontinuously provided on outer peripheral surfaces thereof along thecircumferential direction. A second clutch plate 55 is arranged on thefurther outer side of the first clutch plate 54A. The second clutchplate 55 is also fixed to the shaft 51. The second clutch plate 55 isalso formed by a disc shape member, and wedge shape teeth arecontinuously provided on an outer peripheral surface thereof along thecircumferential direction. It should be noted that the first clutchplates 54A, 54B and the second clutch plate 55 are formed so that theforward directions of the wedge shape teeth are opposite to each otherin the circumferential direction of the shaft 51.

As described above, the winding roller 52, the first clutch plates 54A,54B and the second clutch plate 55 fixed to the shaft 51 are all drivenand rotated following rotation of the shaft 51. The above bias spring 53is built into the winding roller 52 in a compressed state so that thetightening belt 31 is always biased in the direction in which thetightening belt is wound by the winding roller 52. As a result, biasforce of the bias spring 53 always acts on the tightening belt 31 in thedirection in which the wrapping length thereof is shortened.

Meanwhile, the first stopper 56 is arranged on the side of the abovewinding roller 52, and has a rotation shaft portion 56 a extending inthe direction matched with the axial direction of the cuff main bodyportion 30. The rotation shaft portion 56 a of the first stopper 56 isaxially and rotatably supported on an axial support portion (not shown).Thereby, the first stopper 56 is rotatable around the rotation shaftportion 56 a. First clutch claws 57A, 57B capable of being meshed withthe teeth provided in the above first clutch plates 54A, 54B areprovided at predetermined positions of the first stopper 56. The firstclutch claws 57A, 57B are meshed with the teeth of the above firstclutch plates 54A, 54B so as to restrict rotation of the first clutchplates 54A, 54B in the predetermined direction. It should be noted thatthe first stopper is always biased toward the side of the winding roller52 by a spring (not shown).

The first stopper 56 further has an engagement portion 58 and anengagement projection portion 59. The engagement portion 58 is formed bya pin shape part provided so as to protrude downward from apredetermined position on a lower surface of the first stopper 56, andpushes down the second stopper 65 described later. The engagementprojection portion 59 is formed by a columnar part provided so as toprotrude upward from a predetermined position on an upper surface of thefirst stopper 56, and engaged with the slider 60 described later.

The slider 60 is arranged on the upper side of the first stopper 56, andformed slidably movably in the direction along the axial direction ofthe cuff main body portion 30. An engagement hole portion 62 to beengaged with the engagement projection portion 59 of the above firststopper 56 is provided at a predetermined position of the slider 60. Astepped portion 62 a onto which the engagement projection portion 59 canbe placed is provided on a side surface of the engagement hole portion62. The slider 60 also has an abutment surface 61 to be abutted with thepush button 44 provided in the above gripping portion 40 in one endthereof in the longitudinal direction. It should be noted that a spring64 is attached to the slider 60, so that the slider 60 is always biasedtoward the side where the push button 44 is positioned by the bias forceof the spring 64.

The second stopper 65 is arranged on the lower side of the first stopperand on the side of the above second clutch plate 55. The second stopper65 has a hanging portion 65 a for hanging the rotation shaft portion 56a of the first stopper 56, and a second clutch claw 66 capable of beingmeshed with the teeth provided in the above second clutch plate 55. Thehanging portion 65 a is a part for rotating the second stopper 65 aroundthe rotation shaft portion 56 a of the first stopper 56. The secondclutch claw 66 is meshed with the teeth of the above second clutch plate55 so as to restrict rotation of the second clutch plate 55 in thepredetermined direction. It should be noted that a spring 67 is attachedto the second stopper 65, so that the second stopper 65 is always biasedin the predetermined direction by the bias force of the spring 67.

In the wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 described above, thefirst clutch plates 54A, 54B fixed to the shaft 51 and the first clutchclaws 57A, 57B provided in the first stopper 56 form a one-way clutchserving as a first restriction portion, and the second clutch plate 55fixed to the shaft 51 and the second clutch claw 66 provided in thesecond stopper 65 form a one-way clutch serving as a second restrictionportion.

The one-way clutch serving as the first restriction portion restrictsthe rotation direction of the shaft 51 to only one particular direction(hereinafter, referred to as the first direction) in a state that thefirst clutch claws 57A, 57B are respectively meshed with the firstclutch plates 54A, 54B, and does not restrict the rotation of the shaft51 in a non-meshing state. Meanwhile, the one-way clutch serving as thesecond restriction portion restricts the rotation direction of the shaft51 to only one particular direction (hereinafter, referred to as thesecond direction) in a state that the second clutch claw 66 is meshedwith the second clutch plate 55, and does not restrict the rotationdirection of the shaft 51 in a non-meshing state. The rotation directionof the shaft 51 restricted by the one-way clutch serving as the firstrestriction portion and the rotation direction of the shaft 51restricted by the one-way clutch serving as the second restrictionportion are in opposite directions to each other. Thus, the above firstdirection and the second direction are also in opposite directions toeach other.

In the above wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50, the one-way clutchserving as the first restriction portion and the one-way clutch servingas the second restriction portion are not in a meshing state at the sametime, and only one of the one-way clutches is always in the meshingstate. A state where the one-way clutch serving as the first restrictionportion is in the meshing state and the one-way clutch serving as thesecond restriction portion is in the non-meshing state is called a“first state,” and a state where the one-way clutch serving as thesecond restriction portion is in the meshing state and the one-wayclutch serving as the first restriction portion is in the non-meshingstate is called a “second state.” The “first state” and the “secondstate” are switched in conjunction with an action of the push button 44,serving as the switching portion provided in the above gripping portion40. Hereinafter, a mechanism thereof will be described in detail.

FIG. 8 shows a state of the wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 inthe above first state. In the first state shown in FIG. 8, the pushbutton 44 serving as the switching portion is not pressed down, and theslider 60 is biased by the spring 64 and positioned on the side of thepush button 44. In this state, the engagement projection portion 59 ofthe first stopper 56 engaged with the engagement hole portion 62 of theslider 60 is not placed onto the stepped portion 62 a. Thus, the firststopper 56 is biased by the spring (not shown), and the first clutchclaws 57A, 57B are meshed with the teeth of the first clutch plates 54A,54B. In the above state, the second stopper 65 is pushed down againstthe bias force of the spring 67 by the engagement portion 58 provided inthe first stopper 56, and the second clutch claw 66 is not meshed withthe teeth of the second clutch plate 55. In the above state, the windingroller 52 is rotated in an arrow R1 direction in the figure by the biasforce of the bias spring 53, and the tightening belt 31 is biased andwound in an arrow A direction in the figure. Therefore, the tighteningbelt 31 is variably adjusted only in the direction in which the wrappinglength thereof is shortened.

FIG. 9 shows a state of the wrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 inthe above second state. In the second state shown in FIG. 9, the pushbutton 44 serving as the switching portion is pressed down, and theslider 60 is pushed down in an arrow C1 direction in the figure againstthe bias force of the spring 64. In this state, the engagementprojection portion 59 of the first stopper 56 engaged with theengagement hole portion 62 of the slider 60 is placed onto the steppedportion 62 a. Thus, the first stopper is rotated in an arrow C2direction in the figure against the bias force of the spring (notshown), and the meshing state of the first clutch claws 57A, 57B withthe teeth of the first clutch plates 54A, 54B is released. In the abovestate, the push-down of the second stopper 65 is released by theengagement portion 58 provided in the first stopper 56, the secondstopper 65 is rotated in an arrow C3 direction in the figure by the biasforce of the spring 67, and the second clutch claw 66 is meshed with theteeth of the second clutch plate 55. In the above state, the rotation ofthe winding roller 52 is prevented against the bias force of the biasspring 53. Only in a case where force is applied in the direction inwhich the tightening belt 31 is pulled out from the winding roller 52,the winding roller 52 is rotated in an arrow R2 direction in the figure,so that the tightening belt 31 can be pulled out in an arrow B directionin the figure. Therefore, the tightening belt 31 is variably adjustableonly in the direction in which the wrapping length thereof is extended.

As described above, in the cuff 20 in the present embodiment, byoperating the push button 44 serving as the switching portion, the abovefirst state where the wrapping length of the tightening belt 31 isvariably adjusted only in the direction in which the wrapping length ofthe tightening belt 31 is shortened, and the second state where thewrapping length of the tightening belt 31 is variably adjusted only inthe direction in which the wrapping length of the tightening belt 31 isextended can be switched. Therefore, attachment procedures shown belowcan be realized.

FIG. 10 is a view for illustrating the attachment procedures of thesphygmomanometer cuff in the present embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematicsectional view showing a state that the sphygmomanometer cuff in thepresent embodiment is attached to the upper arm. Next, the attachmentprocedures of the sphygmomanometer cuff in the present embodiment and astate after the attachment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10and 11. It should be noted that FIG. 10 assumes a case where the cuff 20is attached to an upper arm of a left arm.

As shown in FIG. 10, in time of attaching the cuff 20, the grip 42 ofthe cuff 20 is firstly held by a right hand 100, and the push button 44is pressed down by a thumb 101 in this state. While maintaining thepress-down state of the push button 44, the tightening belt 31 is pulledout from the insertion port 41 a by a left hand, so that the cuff 20 isin the extended diameter state. It should be noted that since thewrapping length adjustment mechanism 50 is in the above second state inthis state, the wrapping length of the tightening belt 31 is extended byan amount fed out from the winding roller 52, and the wrapping length ismaintained.

Next, while maintaining the press-down state of the push button 44, theleft hand 200 is inserted into the hollow opening portion of the cuffmain body portion 30 in an arrow D direction in the figure. The cuffmain body portion 30 is placed onto the upper arm of the left hand 200,and the press-down state of the push button 44 is released by separatingthe thumb 101 of the right hand 100 pressing down the push button 44from the push button 44. In this state, the wrapping length adjustmentmechanism 50 is switched from the above second state to the first state.Thereby, the tightening belt 31 is wound by the winding roller 52 byoperation of the bias spring 53, so that the wrapping length thereof isshortened. Thus, as shown in FIG. 11, the wrapping length of thetightening belt 31 is automatically adjusted only in the direction inwhich the wrapping length of the tightening belt 31 is shortened, sothat the cuff main body portion 30 is wrapped around and attached to theupper arm 202 of the left hand 200 with proper tightening force.

It should be noted that in a case where the cuff 20 is detached from theupper arm 202 of the left hand 200 after the measurement of the bloodpressure values, operation similar to the initial operation in time ofattaching the above cuff 20 is performed. That is, the grip 42 of thecuff 20 is held by the right hand 100, the push button 44 is presseddown by the thumb 101 in this state, and then while maintaining thepress-down state of the push button 44, the upper arm 202 and/or theright hand 100 is moved so that the upper arm 202 and the right hand 100holding the grip 42 are brought apart from each other. Thereby, thetightening belt 31 is pulled out from the insertion port 41 a, so thatthe cuff 20 is in the extended diameter state. At the time, when thepress-down state of the push button 44 is maintained, the extendeddiameter state is maintained. Thus, by drawing out the left hand 200from the cuff main body portion 30, the cuff 20 can be detached. Itshould be noted that when the press-down state of the push button 44 isreleased after detaching the cuff 20, the cuff 20 is in the reduceddiameter state, so that the cuff 20 can be compacted.

In the sphygmomanometer cuff 20 in the present embodiment and thesphygmomanometer 1 provided with the same described above, by operatingthe various constituent elements forming the wrapping length adjustmentmechanism 50 in conjunction with each other, the wrapping length of thetightening belt 31 is variably adjusted in conjunction with thepress-down state of the push button 44. The push button 44 for switchingthe above first state and the second state is provided in the grippingportion 40 serving as a part to be held by the hand in time of theattachment. Thus, the holding of the grip 42 and the operation of thepush button 44 can be performed at the same time by a hand which isdifferent from the hand to which the cuff main body portion 30 isattached. Therefore, by adopting the above configuration, thesphygmomanometer cuff capable of attaching the cuff 20 to the upper armwith a single touch operation, and the sphygmomanometer provided withthe same can be provided.

Since the cuff can be attached with the single touch operation, evenelderly people, females, and the like having relatively inferiorstrength can easily attach the cuff. Thus, a sphygmomanometer cuffhaving highly excellent handling, and the sphygmomanometer provided withthe same can be provided. Since the attachment is easily performed, thecuff main body portion 30 is positioned at a proper position of theupper arm and the cuff is relatively easily attached. Thus, generationof measurement errors due to attachment position displacement isreduced, so that precise blood pressure values can be measured. Further,since the air bladder 35 is pushed onto the upper arm by the curler 34with proper pressing force at the time of the attachment, the preciseblood pressure values can be measured with favorable reproducibility.

In the sphygmomanometer cuff 20 in the present embodiment and thesphygmomanometer 1 provided with the same, with sufficiently long lengthof the tightening belt 31, by pulling out a necessary amount of thetightening belt 31 from the winding roller 52 in the above second state,the wrapping length of the tightening belt 31 can be extended asrequired. Therefore, the sphygmomanometer cuff applicable to any subjectranging from a subject having long circumferential length of the upperarm to a subject having short circumferential length of the upper arm,and the sphygmomanometer provided with the same can be provided.

It should be noted that although a case where the switching portion isformed as the push button is shown as an example and described in theembodiment of the present invention described above, the switchingportion can be formed as a sliding type button or a dial type buttoninstead of the push button, or as a lever in place of the button. A casewhere the push button serving as the switching portion is provided at aposition where the push button can be operated by the thumb of thegripping portion is shown as an example and described in the aboveembodiment of the present invention. However, the position where theswitching portion is provided is not limited to this position but theswitching portion may be provided at other positions of the grippingportion or may be provided in the cuff main body portion in the vicinityof the gripping portion. In any case, as long as the switching portioncan be operated by the hand holding the gripping portion while thegripping portion is held, the switching portion may be provided at anyposition.

A case where the curler serving as the curved elastic plate isaccommodated in the outer package cover is shown as an example anddescribed in the above embodiment of the present invention. However, thecurler is not necessarily provided, but only the air bladder can beaccommodated in the outer package cover. A case where an embodiment ofthe present invention is applied to the sphygmomanometer of the upperarm type and the sphygmomanometer cuff provided in the same is shown asan example in the above embodiment of the present invention. However, asa matter of course, embodiments of the present invention are alsoapplicable to a sphygmomanometer of a wrist type and a sphygmomanometercuff provided in the same, a sphygmomanometer of an ankle type and asphygmomanometer cuff provided in the same, and the like.

A case where an embodiment of the present invention is applied to thesphygmomanometer capable of measuring the systolic blood pressure valueand the diastolic blood pressure value is shown as an example anddescribed in the above embodiment of the present invention. However,embodiments of the present invention are also applicable to a bloodpressure information measurement device capable of measuring bloodpressure information other than the systolic blood pressure value andthe diastolic blood pressure value (such as an average blood pressurevalue, the pulse wave, pulsation, and an AI (Augmentation Index) value).

As described above, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative inall aspects and should not be construed as being restrictive. Thetechnical scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, andmeanings equivalent to the claims and all modifications within the scopeare intended to be encompassed herein.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS

1: Sphygmomanometer

10: Main body

11: Control unit

12: Memory unit

14: Display unit

16: Operation unit

18: Power supply unit

20: Cuff

30: Cuff main body portion

31: Tightening belt

31 a: One end

31 b: Other end

33: Outer package cover

34: Curler

34 a: Cut

35: Air bladder

40: Gripping portion

41: Base portion

41 a: Insertion port

42: Grip

44: Push button

50: Wrapping length adjustment mechanism

51: Shaft

52: Winding roller

53: Bias spring

54A, 54B: First clutch plate

55: Second clutch plate

56: First stopper

56 a: Rotation shaft portion

57A, 57B: First clutch claw

58: Engagement portion

59: Engagement projection portion

60: Slider

61: Abutment surface

62: Engagement hole portion

62 a: Stepped portion

64: Spring

65: Second stopper

65 a: Hanging portion

66: Second clutch claw

67: Spring

70: Air system component

71: Pressurization pump

72: Exhaust valve

73: Pressure sensor

74: Pressurization pump drive circuit

75: Exhaust valve drive circuit

76: Oscillation circuit

90: Air tube

100: Right hand

101: Thumb

200: Left hand

The invention claimed is:
 1. A cuff for a blood pressure informationmeasurement device configured to be attached to a measurement site of aliving body and used for measurement of blood pressure information,comprising: a cuff main body portion formed into an annular form intowhich the measurement site is insertable from an axial direction, andconfigured to be attached to the measurement site in time of themeasurement; and a gripping portion provided on an outer peripheralsurface of the cuff main body portion, wherein the cuff main bodyportion includes a fluid bag for compressing the living body, atightening belt wrapped around an outer side of the fluid bag, and awrapping length adjustment mechanism for variably adjusting a wrappinglength of the tightening belt, the wrapping length adjustment mechanismhas a winding roller for winding and feeding the tightening belt, a biasportion for pulling and biasing the tightening belt in a direction inwhich the wrapping length of the tightening belt is shortened, a firstrestriction portion for restricting extension of the wrapping length ofthe tightening belt, and a second restriction portion for restrictingshortening of the wrapping length of the tightening belt, and each ofthe first restriction portion and the second restriction portion isformed by a one-way clutch additionally provided in the winding roller,the cuff further comprising a switching portion for selectivelyswitching whether the wrapping length adjustment mechanism is in a firststate where restriction by the second restriction portion is released,restriction by the first restriction portion is applied, and thereby,the wrapping length of the tightening belt is variably adjusted only inthe direction in which the tightening belt is pulled by the bias portionand the wrapping length thereof is shortened, or in a second state wherethe restriction by the first restriction portion is released, therestriction by the second restriction portion is applied, and thereby,the wrapping length of the tightening belt is variably adjustable onlyin a direction in which the wrapping length of the tightening belt isextended, the switching portion being provided in the gripping portionor the cuff main body portion in a vicinity of the gripping portion. 2.The cuff for the blood pressure information measurement device accordingto claim 1, wherein the switching portion is formed by a push button. 3.The cuff for the blood pressure information measurement device accordingto claim 2, wherein the wrapping length adjustment mechanism is in thesecond state in conjunction with a press-down state of the push button,and in the first state in conjunction with release of the press-downstate of the push button.
 4. The cuff for the blood pressure informationmeasurement device according to claim 1, wherein the bias portion isformed by a spring attached to the winding roller.
 5. The cuff for theblood pressure information measurement device according to claim 1,further comprising a flexible curved elastic plate elasticallydeformable in a radial direction of the cuff main body portion on theouter side of the fluid bag and on an inner side of the tightening belt.6. A blood pressure information measurement device, comprising: a cufffor a blood pressure information measurement device according to claim1; expanding/contracting mechanisms for expanding and contracting afluid bag; and a blood pressure information acquiring unit for acquiringblood pressure information.